NCarmean18's Mock Draft

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had the fortune of being very lucky in recent years, as they have earned the #1 overall pick in three of the last four NBA drafts, including their second straight in 2014. It seemed like they were locked in on Joel Embiid, a freshmen center from the University of Kansas before he broke a bone in his foot that will require 4-6 months to recover from. The Cleveland Cavaliers cannot afford to mess things up this time around, which is why I feel as though they should draft Andrew Wiggins. Andrew Wiggins has more upside than anybody in this current draft class. The pick will be between Wiggins and fellow freshmen phenom Jabari Parker, but I gave the slight edge to Wiggins because he fits the team need a little better. Wiggins is the better athlete and a much better defender than Jabari Parker, and he doesn't require the ball in his hands to be effective on offense. I just think that with Jabari Parker, the Cavs would have three heaviliy ball-dominate offensive scorers in Parker, Kyrie Irving, and Dion Waiters, and this would only lead to confusion and inefficient scoring on offense. To me, Andrew Wiggins should be the primary target for the Cleveland Cavaliers now that Joel Embiid is reportedly "out of the running" for the #1 overall selection.

The Milwaukee Bucks need offense, quickly. The Bucks were ranked statistically as one of the worst offenses in the entire NBA during the 2013-2014 NBA season. Insert Jabari Parker. To me, Jabari Parker has the smallest bust potential of any of the top 5 prospects in this draft class. He has great size on the wing at 6'9", 240 lbs., and he can also slide over and play a stretch forward position at the power forward spot, similar to what Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James have done with the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, respectively. Parker will need a few more years to develop enough strength to be as effective as a power forward, but currently as a small forward, there is a lot to like about this kid. He has an extremely polished offensive game, and he is a better athlete than what he has been given credit for. As a rookie in Milwaukee, Jabari would more than likely be moved into the starting lineup immediately, and would be my early favorite to win the NBA's "Rookie of the Year" award.

Joel Embiid just has too much potential to slip out of the top 3, or at least in my personal opinion. I know that there are questions about his health issues, but this prospect just oozes potential and for a young team like the Philadelphia 76ers who have time to let young prospects develop, I cannot see him slipping past them. He would make the perfect frontcourt tandem with Nerlens Noel. Noel would be a terrific shot-blocker and defensive presence, while Embiid is a strong two-way player with the potential to space the floor on offense. Throw in Michael Carter-Williams' playmaking ability, and Philadelphia could have a young "Big 3" for the future, basing that off of potential alone.

The Orlando Magic need one position in particular, and that is point guard. This pick was somewhat difficult to decide, simply because Dante Exum and Marcus Smart are neck-and-neck at the top of the point guard rankings. The Orlando Magic had the #2 overall pick last season, and they were extremely disappointed whenever Marcus Smart opted to stay in school, leaving them to draft a highly impressive rookie by the name of Victor Oladipo. A year later, could the Orlando Magic actually STILL acquire Marcus Smart while having drafted a potential star in Victor Oladipo last summer? It's quite possible, but to me, it isn't expected. I fully expect the Orlando Magic to select the Australian "Man of Mystery" Dante Exum. Exum is very good friends with Victor Oladipo, and he could very well blossom into a nice two-way star for the Orlando Magic. With elite size and athleticism, it would be truly difficult for the Orlando Magic to pass on a player like Exum.

The Utah Jazz have an intense crush on Jabari Parker, and with good reason. He fits a glaring need for them at the small forward position, and he relates well to a high number of people that live in Utah. However, unless the Jazz can package a deal together that would send a player like Derrick Favors to the Cavaliers for the #1 overall pick, I don't see them landing Jabari. In a sticky draft spot, I expect the Jazz to draft the best player available, and take Noah Vonleh. Noah Vonleh is a banger, and at the young age of 18 Vonleh has a ton of time to develop his skills of playing the the post. Vonleh is a good defender, and he can stretch the floor for you on offense, which is something that the Utah Jazz desperately would covet from Noah Vonleh. With this pick, I could see the Jazz swinging a trade this summer packaging a deal together that included Enes Kanter for a perimeter scoring wing player. Vonleh and Favors down low could be a force to be wreckened with in the Western Conference for many years down the road.

There a rumors surrounding Aaron Gordon here, but a power forward just doesn't make much sense to me. The Celtics already have Jared Sullinger, Brandon Bass, and Kelly Olynyk under contract for next season, and what Boston truly needs is a shot-blocker, a perimeter scorer, and a backup, insurance policy point guard. With Joel Embiid gone and all of the other small forwards not being as highly thought of, I think the Boston Celtics will go with Marcus Smart. I do not believe that Rajon Rondo will bolt next season, especially if they are able to bring another star (Carmelo Anthony?) to Boston. However, just in case he does, Marcus Smart will be waiting in the wings. I love Smart because of his two-way upside, his passion, and his fight. He was a bulldog at Oklahoma State, and he has the ability to develop into something special in the NBA. Smart would be a good fit for the Celtics because of his size and brute strength as a guard (6'3", 227 lbs). He could come in next season and instantly contribute off of the bench at both guard positions, and he would fit in with Rondo and Avery Bradley's defensive prowess right away. This pick will not put Boston back into contention this season, but with a successful free agency and a healthy draft class, this pick could really help Boston fix their image as one of the NBA's premiere franchises.

I think Julius Randle would be a next-to-perfect fit for the Los Angeles Lakers. There have been rumors swirling around the web that Julius Randle has a foot injury similar to that of Joel Embiid and requires surgery, but Randle has downplayed the seriousness of the injury, and recently showed up to a workout with the Lakers and performed beautifully. Randle is a brute, and he is one of those energy-based players, with the potential to be a Zach Randolph-esque power forward. He is going to fight for every rebound, and try to out-muscle everyone in the painted area, something that the Lakers haven't had since Dwight Howard bolted for the Houston Rockets last summer. If picked here, Randle would instantly become a fan-favorite in L.A., and it is likely that Kobe Bryant would appreciate his work ethic and passion for the game.

Aaron Gordon is an exciting athlete. The Sacramento Kings, although still buried in mediocrity, have an upincoming squad, headlined by their franchise centerpiece DeMarcus Cousins. With Aaron Gordon added to a squad that already features the likes of Cousins, Rudy Gay, and Isaiah Thomas more than likely (Restricted Free Agent), the Kings would have all of the glamour to compete in the Western Conference. Gordon is a project. The Kings know that, the entire NBA knows that. But learning from bigger power forwards like Carl Landry would only benefit the young athletic phenom. Gordon needs a good 2-4 years before he will start to shock the NBA, but alongside DeMarcus Cousins may be the best place for Aaron Gordon to do just that.

With the point guard spot taken care of and all three of the big power forward names (Vonleh, Randle, and Gordon) gone, the Orlando Magic could add some perimeter scoring on the wing, as Tobias Harris and Maurice Harkless are still developing their outside stroke. Dougy McBuckets would be a good fit for the Orlando Magic in that sense, as he would add some much needed scoring depth on the perimeter for the Magic's second unit.

The Charlotte Hornets desperately need perimeter scoring. They need it more so at the small forward position, but I do not see a small forward worthy of the #9 overall pick, as Doug McDermott to me just doesn't have enough upside to qualify for the #9 overall selection, so
I have Gary Harris being picked here. Harris has solid size and a good shooting/scoring ability as a shooting guard. He can knock down the three-point jumpshot with some consistency, although his decision-making and shot selection could improve. With Gerald Henderson on the roster, Harris will not start in year one for the Charlotte Hornets. However, with Henderson's lack of perimeter shooting and proneness to get injured, Harris will be an above-average insurance policy in Charlotte.

The Nuggets have no space on their roster, but a decent lottery pick in a deep draft class. So what do they do? They draft Dario Saric, of course. Dario Saric as recently as today announced that he has signed with a Turkish club, and will not come over to the NBA for "at least" two seasons. With that being said, Saric would be the perfect fit for the Nuggets at #11. He has a ton of potential as a point-forward, and with tremendous size, he can play either forward position, something similar to Danilo Gallinari. This is the best value pick for the Denver Nuggets and their future as an organization.

The Phoenix Suns are swinging for the fences this summer, and they could very well end up trading a good amount of their draft picks for a proven star, as the Suns are trying to compete for the playoffs right now after a highly impressive 48-win season. Nik Stauskas could be a dynamite offensive spark plug in the Phoenix Suns' offense. He is a great perimeter shooter, and he excels in transition, something that the Suns like to do in Jeff Hornacek's offense.

Nobody has risen their draft stock quite like Elfrid Payton. I have him going #13 overall, but he easily could go as high as #7 to the Los Angeles Lakers. Payton, an elusive scoring guard out of Louisiana Lafayette possesses all of the necessary tools to be a star in this league. The only thing that Payton lacks is consistency on his perimeter jump shot, but that can be developed within a couple of seasons in the NBA. Payton is very good at driving to the rack and getting to the line, and his aggressiveness on both sides of the ball are something to cherish. I have Minnesota taking a chance on Payton here, as Rubio has not really reached his full expectations in the NBA. With Payton, the Timberwolves would have a solid insurance policy in case they decide that Rubio isn't worth the high dollar amount that he will likely ask for in a contract extension.

Zach LaVine has helped his draft stock tremendously during the NBA draft process, and with good reason. He is an INSANELY gifted athlete. He can fly, and his measurements have turned out to be incredibly. With elite size for a guard (6'6"), LaVine has a ton of upside and on a team like Philly, he can really thrive in a transition-heavy offense. He and Michael Carter-Williams would have the potential to be two of the the biggest guard tandems in the NBA. Watching LaVine handle lobs from MCW could be breathtaking to watch, and would add a lot of excitement to the City of Brotherly Love.

Anderson does a lot right, and he is one of my favorite prospects. He would be a perfect fit in Detroit, as he could spread the floor and set up Andre Drummond and Josh Smith for great offensive looks.

Very good floor general that knows how to play in big games. Would be a great young backup point guard just in case D.J. Augustine gets paid elsewhere, and would be great insurance just in case Derrick Rose's knees can't hold up.